1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to skipping messages on message boards.
2. Background Information
A message board is a computer system that provides visitors an information source and forum. A message board consists of a computer and message board software (hereinafter, “a message agent”), cooperatively adapted to allow visitors to electronically interact with the message board through the use of a terminal or computer. A visitor may interact with a message board over a network, such as the Internet or an intranet, or through a direct computer connection, as with a modem and communication line (e.g., an analog or digital modem and line) for example. In interacting with a message board, a visitor may post (write) messages to the board, read messages posted by others or post replies to messages posted by others.
In recent years, message boards have become increasingly popular, especially with the increased popularity of the Internet. Accordingly, the number of visitors to a particular message board may be substantial, which may substantially increase the number of messages posted to the message board.
To improve visitor efficiency in reading messages, a message agent may provide a search engine, in which search terms or queries may be submitted by a visitor for interrogation against the messages contained in the message board. While this methodology may assist in locating messages consistent with visitors' interests, it may also include useless messages, as well as exclude useful messages. For example, a visitor interested in dogs (the animal) may submit the search term “dog,” which may include messages in which the term “dog” is used in a context other than the animal, as well as exclude messages in which a term other than “dog” was used (e.g., “canine”).
Also to improve visitor efficiency in reading messages, a message agent may link two or more related messages together to form a “thread.” A thread consists of a parent message (i.e., a message that is not a reply), replies to the parent message, replies to the replies, and so forth. After reading a message, a visitor may “follow” the message's thread by thereafter reading messages related thereto. However, when a visitor follows a thread, time may still be wasted reading messages considered useless by the visitor.
Message agents may provide visitors the ability to skip messages posted by a specific visitor (e.g., one who regularly posts useless messages). However, this methodology may inefficiently skip messages, as it may exclude messages posted by the specific visitor that may nonetheless be useful.
Therefore, there is a need to assist visitors of message boards to efficiently skip messages that are likely to be considered useless by the visitors.